1. Background to SCAN2. 9PIN the project and how to apply3. Related Activities4. Background on SCAN consortium organisations5. URLs

9PIN is funded by Arts Council England, South East 1. Background - SCAN

SCAN is a network consortium of 10 organisations in the UK (mainly based in the South of England) who are working together to promote emergent, collaborative and experimental practice using new and emergent technologies. SCAN is committed to identifying new models of production and distribution of artworks and other cultural products.

SCAN aims to provide an expansive and fertile space for artists, practitioners, writers, audiences and organisations to engage with its projects and initiatives. This will be provided through the SCAN website and through the physical spaces in its member organizations. It is a unique collaboration and will be a major resource for the development of practice, projects and ideas.

The organisation was set up in 2001 as a platform for collaboration and sharing of resources between the consortium members. 2003 sees a new phase of development within SCAN through the appointment of a Director in January 2003, and the launch of a website and other activities including 9PIN in September 2003. 9PIN will be pivotal in the development of SCAN and in defining its role in relation to the consortium members.

Whilst SCAN is driven mainly by new media, it welcomes innovative ideas and practice that also involve other forms. SCAN provides a network for practitioners, information and opportunities, training, exhibition and equipment to support the production of new work and educational initiatives involving digital arts and/or hybrid practice. It is intended to be a focal point for a wide spectrum of activity such as critical debate, community and education projects, on-line journals and communities, collaborative arts production and project partnerships between the private and public sectors.

University of PortsmouthLondon College of Music and MediaUniversity of PlymouthOxford Brookes UniversityLighthouse Media Centre, BrightonPVA, Bridport

Please read these notes carefully and ensure that you address the contents in your proposal.

2. The Project

9PIN (Nine Points of Investigation)A SCAN consortium project 2003/4

SCAN is looking for artists, writers, creatives and practitioners from all fields (who may also want to work collaboratively) to respond to and investigate the environments, landscapes and demographics of the SCAN network. The Nine Points of Investigation are based around the locations of the 10 core Consortium Centres all of whom to date are Independent Arts Organisations. The principle criterion for the 9PIN project is to commission inventive engagements with the geography and communities of the consortium locations. Proposals must consider the network as a whole, or in part (two or more locations), for investigation; a collection of multiple sites to cross between, travel through, engage with, rather than focusing on a single location in isolation. Proposals may also want to look at how the SCAN network operates in relation to other sites and locations globally both currently and potentially.

The project will take the form of a residency period (between September 2003 and December 2004) to be negotiated with the consortium members and SCAN. It could be a continuous period or a series of shorter periods. A wide range of options and timescale have been allowed in order that people can respond to seasonal change and activities taking place in the 9PIN locations. We expect the nature of the 9PIN residency to be experimental with a view to developing outputs at a later stage. This is largely because the consortium venues are programmed at least two years in advance. However, if applicants wish to make small interventions in the venues, work in public spaces, produce publications or have a website presence this may be possible (subject to discussion with venues).

Dependent on the budgets submitted in the proposals, it is anticipated that 3 - 5 individual or group projects will be selected for 9PIN. It is hoped that at points these projects will overlap and that, where appropriate, a dialogue might take place between the different project participants. All selected projects will be asked send a representative to take part in the Tactical Media Lab in Portsmouth (and a networked part of Next Five Minutes festival in Amsterdam) on 21